Exfoliation Advice and Tips

Exfoliation is a major part of any complete skincare routine. It’s one of the best ways to boost glow and keep your skin looking brighter, smoother, and fresher with very little effort.

But how exactly does exfoliation work? How many times a week should you be scrubbing and buffing your way to glowier skin? And how can you make sure you’re doing it correctly? We break it all down below.

Why you should exfoliate

When dead skin cells get trapped and build up on the skin’s surface, your complexion can appear dull, rough, and dry with more pronounced wrinkles. Exfoliation sweeps away these dead skin cells, giving your face an instant glow.

These are the main benefits of adding an exfoliator to your skincare routine:

Deep-cleans your pores
Encourages fresh cellular renewal
Helps other products, like serums and moisturizers, penetrate deeper
Smooths skin and evens out tone
Makes makeup application easier (smoother skin = less flakey or cakey patches)

Physical exfoliation vs. chemical exfoliation
There are two main types of exfoliants: physical (like scrubs and tools) and chemical (like AHAs and BHAs).

Physical exfoliants manually buff away dead skin cells while chemical exfoliants dissolve the bonds between dead skin cells with the help of active chemical ingredients.

How often is too often?

How often you should exfoliate depends on your skin type. Those with dry or combination skin will typically benefit from exfoliation one to two times a week. Oily skin often needs a bit more, up to three times a week, to remove dirt and grime from pores. And if you have sensitive skin, try limiting your scrubbing to just once a week.

When in doubt, listen to your skin. It’ll tell you when it’s time to exfoliate and when it’s time for a break. (If you’ve over-exfoliated, your skin may be red and irritated.)

And remember: However you choose to exfoliate, always follow with a hydrating serum or moisturizer and SPF to replenish and protect your skin.